Forever With You
by Gredling-Virg
Summary: What if Gale, over come by grief, takes the boy tributes place? "For you, my Catnip, I will endure the very depths of hell to bring you home." Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be, ever, in your favor.


**Hello! I have now, just now, completed the greatest book series know to man-kind, The Hunger Games! Now I'm going to write about it! Yes, THIS IS a GaleXKatniss story; I am a shipper on both pairings but when I decided to write this story I chose TEAM GALE! Sorry, but I like the MAN with the meat not the boy with the bread. Yeah… I borrowed that last line from my friend who hates Peeta with a fiery passion. **

**Anyway! Lets get on with it shall we? **

**Disclaimer- I do not own The Hunger Games -tear- . **

**Enjoy!**

_Katniss POV _

_Flashback_

_I was wandering aimlessly through the forest, looking for game, as always. I heard the crunch of the dried leafs under my feet, winter would be coming soon, and I had to get ready. I had only gotten two squirrels and one rabbit this week, that little haul turned out only five silver pieces and some stew from Greasy Sae. If I don't make enough money selling things at the Hob I would have to work in the dreaded coal mines. I stopped walking as my stomach lurched at the thought. How would a half-starved, scrawny, little girl like me survive in the mine? That's just it, I wouldn't; I wouldn't even last a day. Prim and my mother would starve, and the little boy who gives me bread wouldn't have anyone to give it to. How lonely the world is. _

_I shove the thoughts out of my mind so I can focus. C'mon Katniss, pull yourself together now, you need to bring back meat so Prim doesn't starve and turn into food for the flies. I snort out a laugh, food for the flies? No, she would become food for the wild dogs or bears, maybe even some wild man-eating cat; images of Buttercup feasting on Prim almost makes me lose my breakfast. No I wouldn't lose this breakfast it was the first one my mother made since Dad was killed in the explosion._

_I spot a rabbit about ten yards to my right, and I reach for an arrow. I knock it and raise the bow; Prim always said that when I aim, I have this thing she calls the "dead-eye". It makes me look as merciful as a Peacekeeper and as deadly as firebomb, mother says I get it from my father. I take aim at the right eye of the rabbit and I let the arrow fly. I see the rabbit heard the whiz of the arrow because now it's starring right at me. For a second our eyes meet, until the arrow reaches its target, the rabbit dies with a look of complete fear plastered on its face. _

_I sigh, lowering my bow, "One down, four more, and a wild dog to go." I walk quietly over to the rabbit. I grab the ear and pull out my arrow. _

_I hear humming coming from behind me, it sounds like, no, it couldn't be; but it is. That is the unmistakable sound of "The Hanging Tree". _

_I feel the tears on my face, "Dad!" _

_It's not him. _

_All hope and color flood from my face. How could I be so foolish? My father is dead, killed by an underground explosion. How could I let myself be so naïve? _

_I see the face of the person; he is taller than me and well built. He is staring at me with grey eyes, oh, they are beautiful. He is dragging behind him a deer, eight point white tailed deer. _

_He gives me a small smile, "Sorry I think you have the wrong person." _

_I blush and drop my head in embarrassment. _

_I hear him drop the deer and walk up to me. "Hey, what's your name?" _

_I whisper my name hoping he would here it and leave me the hell alone, he's scaring all the game away. _

"_What? Your names Catnip? Well that's an interesting name you got there." He laughs, I know he heard me. _

_I muster a look of anger and stare strait into his gorgeous grey eyes, "My name is Katniss," I hiss, "not Catnip!" _

"_Too late, I'm already going to call you Catnip." _

_This guy is really getting on my nerves, "I said my name is Katniss!" _

"_Okay, Katniss," he says my name in a mocking tone, "what are you doing out here? You know besides breaking the law?"_

"_I am trying to keep my family alive, thank you very much, so I would like to go find four more rabbits and a wild dog so I can earn some money!"_

_He furrows his eyebrows, "Doesn't your father do that?" _

_I stiffen up, "No, he was blow to bits by a mining accident." _

"_Well, looks like you and I are here for the same reason."_

"_You too?" I ask. _

_His happy face turns cold, but the smile is still there, always there, "Yes, my father died in the same accident you father did. I could tell because you called me Dad when you heard me humming 'The Hanging Tree'._

"_How do you know that song?" I mumble._

"_Your father taught it to me; he said that 'Perhaps this will give you good luck…'"_

"…_so maybe you won't screw up as bad as I did." I finish his sentence for him._

_We both laugh, knowing that my father wasn't a screw up at all, he just said that so it would make people laugh. I guess it works because here we are, total strangers, laughing hysterically, even though the joke really isn't that funny._

"_Let's hunt together, from now on. I can give you the four rabbits and we can spilt the deer, how 'bout that?" He offers._

_This guy seems questionable, but I need the cash and food, so I take up his offer, "Sure, why the hell not?"_

_He laughs and sticks out his hand, "Gale Hawthorne."_

"_Katniss Everdeen." I say taking his hand and giving it a firm shake. _

"_Well Katniss Everdeen, starting now you will be, forever, my Catnip. _

_End Flashback. _

I sat in bed staring at the ceiling. A smile had made its way across my lips as I remembered the day I met Gale. It was always good to have a happy memory; because after the nightmares of my father dying or Prim becoming fly food, I can always count on that memory to chase them away, just as Gale would. I crawl out of bed and get dressed; I have got to hunt before the reaping. I have a good feeling about today, maybe I'll get a deer and we can eat for months. I pull on my hunting boots and step into the light of the day, smile already on my lips.

Little did I know today began the rest of the downward spiral of Katniss Everdeen, the girl who is, forever, Gale Hawthorne's Catnip.

**So how was it? I always imagined them meeting that way. If you squint you can see I made it so Gale fell in love with Katniss at first sight, that's why he called her my Catnip, not just Catnip.**

**Santa Claus, OUT!**


End file.
